Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are set to leave WWE after reaching a mutual agreement with the company, bringing an end to The New Day’s run. Their exit will include the standard 90-day non-compete period, according to Fightful Select.
While the departures came as a surprise internally, there is now more clarity on why it happened. According to the Wrestling Observer, Kingston and Woods were not nearing the end of their contracts, but were asked to shift to new deals under TKO’s structure.
After reviewing the terms, both were not satisfied with what was being offered and chose not to move forward, which led to their release being granted.
The news caught many in WWE off guard, especially since both were seen as long-term fixtures, with Kingston often viewed as a lifer. At the same time, there’s a growing belief within the company that no one is guaranteed that status anymore.
Their exit is also said to be part of a wider push to reduce payroll, with TKO directing WWE to cut costs. Both Kingston and Woods were earning significant money (7 figures), and their departure is part of a larger wave of releases over the past week.
In terms of names, Kingston can still use “Kofi” since it’s his real name, but likely not “Kingston.” Woods won’t be able to use “Xavier Woods,” though he already has “Austin Creed” established outside WWE. The “New Day” name also remains owned by WWE.
The New Day’s longtime rivals, The Usos, tweeted the following about Kofi and Xavier’s departure:
“My boys the
….NEW
….DAY
Love uces”
AEW star MJF also reacted to The New Day’s departure. He wrote the following on his Instagram story:
“It’s a new day…
yes it is.”
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